“He was looking at me like I was his lifeline, and I was feeling the sting. He was reeling me in, one tug at a time.”

My first thoughts after finishing this book are “OMG! What did I just read”? and “When can I get my hands on the next book”??? The Insiders was everything I didn’t know I needed and I couldn’t get enough of it. Yes, this is the cancel all your plans kind of book. You will be sucked into this story instantly and will be powerless to put it down.

Now, I’ll be honest with you. When I picked up this book, I had only read the synopsis for it once. That’s right. One time. I read it when the book was first announced months ago and that was enough for me. So, in a way, I kind of went into this one blind. I really didn’t have a clue as to what I was getting myself into or what I was about to read. All I really knew was that Tijan has a new book coming out and I’ve got to read it. And let me tell you, I am so glad I went into this blind. I loved diving into this book without a clue. For me, it completely enhanced the experience.

The Insiders captivated me from page one. I was hooked. I didn’t have the slightest clue what was going on and I was kept guessing the entire time. This book was completely unpredictable. Even as I was approaching the end, I still had no idea how things were going to go and I loved it. LOVED it!

There’s so much I want to say right now, but I can’t. I won’t do that to you. I want this story to be as much of a mystery for you, as it was for me. Here’s what I can say: Cancel your plans. Be prepared to want to devour this book in a single sitting…but don’t devour it, savor it. There are twists and unexpected turns. Remember, I said this book isn’t predictable and it is super easy to get lost in. There is romance, mystery, intrigue, and moments that will keep you on your toes. And when you come to the end, you’ll be just like me, dying to get your hands on the next book in this series…

I read the synopsis for this months ago and was looking forward to reading it upon its release, but imagine my excitement when I got to snag a copy early!
I actually had forgotten quite what it was about since then and I do enjoy going into books blindly, I feel it gives me an unexpected, more thrilling, reading experience, so that’s what I did.
So, The Insiders. It didn’t blow me away. I felt it was rushed. The entire situation was rushed. Seeing as this is a series, I think there was time to explore Bailey’s feelings about her predicament, her trauma, her past life, her adjustment period to her new one. But from start to finish it was fast paced and not touching more on those things made it even more unbelievable to me. I had trouble connecting with the main characters, Bailey and Kash. Even that chemistry was instantaneous. I couldn’t grasp how she immediately needed him for comfort in a panicking moment when they’d barely spoken 2 sentences to each other. There was so much mystery and vagueness to Kash’s character that I think was to make him seem more intriguing, but pushed me in the other direction because of a lack of seeing their connection unfold on a deeper level rather than being told of their insta-love and zaps she felt when he looked at her. 👀 Not spoke to her, just looked at her. And that was that. And then when it came to Bailey’s newfound family, I was at a loss as to why she felt so strongly for them, the one brother in particular, when he’d done nothing to deserve that love. There was no heart to heart, no respect, and the constant chasing him around in seedy situations was irritating, to say the least. Real love, from his family that knew him for a lifetime and his relationship with his “protector” (that’s how I saw him) should’ve been an intervention. And more. Also would’ve liked the nerdy tech stuff explored more. The flashes of it were too far between. All in all, I did like the book, just wished I could’ve connected more. There felt to be a detachment there because of it. I flew through it and would probably read the next in series, just to see where it goes. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC copy of the book.

I was beyond giddy to be reading The Insiders early. I’ve loved Tijan’s books since I one-clicked Fallen Crest High in 2013.

Then I read it .... and I haven’t felt this obsesses with a group of characters since I met Samantha, Mason and Logan. I desperately want more.

Tijan’s latest romance has twists and turns that leave your heart pounding and your jaw on the ground. Right from the first few pages, I was captivated and completely intrigued by the developing characters and plot.

Ripped from the life she knows, Bailey is thrust into a world filled with unknowns and danger. I loved it. I was enamored by Bailey and Kash. Their banter and chemistry was addictive. I wanted to understand the family’s secrets and what they meant for this couple. I devoured the mystery that was their lives all while falling in love with this couple.

It was everything I could want from a book.

Then it ended and I realized I have to wait for more. So until I get the next chapter in this saga, I’ll be stalking Tijan and telling everyone I know to read this book.

This book was unlike anything I have read from
Tijan or any author for that matter. The author pulled me in from the beginning and kept me the whole way. Tijan has way of developing a story and keeping you in until the very end. She knows how to tie plots and twist them together and has you asking yourself how did she do that?
Bailey is such a unique character. She has a photographic memory and is an avid hacker. She grew up with just her mom. All off sudden she is thrown into a life she with a new family, meeting her father for the first time, after a failed attempt at kidnapping. From here the story just gets better. Kash is her bodyguard and the chemistry between them is dynamic. There is so much there that you just keep turning the page to get more. Not only this there are secrets with her new family and with him that keep you drawn in, wanting more. This is a must read by Tijan. One of her best books to date!

3.5 stars
Dark, mafia type of romance. Heroine finds out that her father did not die in the military but is actually a tech guru who has been watching her from afar. The ditzy mother got on my nerves way too many times.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book-I didn't realize it would end on a cliff hanger, had I known I would probably have passed on it. The sinister grandfather, the crazy wife, the obsessive heroine (she doesn't have any qualms about the hero, he's IT for her despite his anti social personality) these all went off on different tangents and I could barely keep all the story lines straight.

I love this author's works, but I am not counting down the days until the next one in the series releases.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Terrific romance and love the supporting characters!

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💙💜🖤❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📘📗📕📙📘
World building: 🌏🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: ☺️🤓🥸😎🙃

The Hero(s): Kashton Colello - his parents died when he was young and he came to live with the Francis family after that. Now he is some sort of security consultant for them and has a villa on the Francis Family estate.

The heroine(s): Bailey Hayes - when kidnappers break into her home, she finds out that her father is Peter Francis. Peter is a tech genius and billionaire who has a wife and three kids of his own.

The Love Story: Bailey is moved onto the Francis families most secure estate, but she is not introduced as Peter’s child, instead her cover is that of an old friend of Kashton’s. She stays with him in his villa on the estate.

This was an odd story. I liked Bailey a lot but felt bad for her since much of her new family acted like she didn’t exist and shouldn’t be included. I liked her brother Matt, but he was completely an elite rich kid who parties too much and uses people for his amusement. It is obvious he has some major issues. The two younger kids have issues as well and their mother Quinn is every bit as bad as Peter, if not worse.

Kash is so hot and he is good to Bailey but he has so much mystery. The more Bailey finds out about him, the less she knows. She can’t understand his position in the family and the way other people react to him, like they do to her brother Matt. It’s like people want to know them and girls want to be near even if it is to be used.

Bailey is pretty much a hacker genius and she just wants to have family. She sees how poorly her siblings are treated and feels for them. She has a good heart, which is what Kash is attracted to in her. There is some great chemistry between them. Tijan books have a bit of steam but not too much explicit eroticism, so the heat/steam level is lower than I generally like in books, but the romance is nice and I like the way Kash and Bailey are together.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending, I felt much of the book was leading up to something that barely happened. Though I know many people like endings like that. I felt sort of like I did in Sleepless in Seattle where the whole movie is about the relationship between two people, then at the end they meet and it is over. I guess I wanted to see more of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks together.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

3 out of 5 stars

I should start off by saying I love me some Tijan. I’ve read almost all of her books and I know I’m either going to get a guilty pleasure read I can’t put down (like The Fallen Crest series) or something with surprising emotional depth (like some of her newer standalone books). With that said, this book was a bit of a mess. The first 40% I honestly couldn’t tell if my extreme confusion was due to poor writing or if the author purposely wanted me to be confused. I think the attempt at intrigue fell short and just left the reader wondering wth was going on. I actually had to reread multiple parts to see if I had missed or misunderstood something. The heroine was also not very badass at all for having had so many genius capabilities. It was a bit of a disappointment that she didn’t jump in to save the day ever. Additionally, the romance angle felt very insta-love.

Now I know this review doesn’t come across as very glowing. However, I will still read the next book in the series. Would I recommend this book to someone who has never read Tijan before? No. I don’t think it does her justice and I think they would probably avoid ever reading her backlog. With that said, readers used to Tijan (who haven’t set high expectations for this book) would probably find this book entertaining.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Bailey, our heroine, has her life unneeded when she finds out that she is an illegitimate child who has people after her father. Kash, who is close to her father and works for him, decides to personally oversee to Bailey’s safety. I liked the premise of the book and the suspense in the story. I was not as enamored with the romance though as Bailey and Kash seem more to have a physical relationship than a relationship made of love. The author tells me Kash cares for Bailey, but I wanted to see it and I only saw a little of that love. I am hoping that the next book deepens their relationship and shows that there is more between the two than sex. The book does end on a cliffhanger so if cliffhangers are not your cup of tea, be sure to avoid this read. I do not mind cliffhangers so I eagerly await the next book!

This story is unexpected but in the best way possible!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this story but I just knew I had to read it! What I got was a crazy twist and turn of events that my mind is still racing from! All I know is that I know nothing! The secrets and hidden truths in the web of Bailey’s life are intriguing and thrilling! There’s a lot going on but when you’re a family of secrets what else is there to expect!

I can not wait to see what comes next I just know that this is only the beginning!

Admittedly the plot was a little all over the place with this book. Parts of the book were also a bit repetitive, that being said I found this book to be completely addictive and I couldn't put it down. The characters drew me in from page one and I was hooked. Very much looking forward to the next novel in this series.

The Outsider is a first-person narration following Bailey, a computer coding whiz-ard who, after an attempted kidnapping of her, learns she is a daughter to a wealthy computing tech founder. Bailey falls into insta-love/lust with Kash, her bodyguard who has intense secrets of his own.
The writing felt disjointed, there was a lot of telling and no showing, especially with Bailey’s so-called genius coding skills. There was no explanation or background of how she accumulated these skills. And the last third of the book had too many things going on, so much so, that it was unbearable.
There were also really skeevy scenes in this book where Bailey watches her newly-acquired brother having sex with someone while he stares at her. Like, whaaaa—???? Skeevy and disturbing to say the least.
I also thought it was very strange and unrealistic that Bailey didn’t have any friends, especially as she is still a young woman in college. The author never made mention of her protagonist being a loner, therefore I’m confused why she doesn’t have a support system outside of her newly-acquired family members. There were too many holes in the plot line and writing style for this reader to enjoy the story, combined with a narrator who was emotionally unstable and bratty to boot made this a book I don’t want to retreat to.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I'll start by saying that I am definitely not in the target audience of readers for "The Insiders" but will readily admit to a bit of a Tijan addiction. Tijan's books are definitely a guilty pleasure! Whenever her books come out, I automatically download them to read and will wait patiently for any new installments. With that being said, Tijan did not disappoint with this new series. After a failed kidnapping attempt on her life, Bailey Hayes finds out that the deceased father she never met was a total fabrication. It turns out her father is Peter Francis, a multimillionaire computer icon, whom she has always idolized. Bailey is a more than a bit of a computer wiz herself. Kashton Colello who is pretty much an honorary member of the Francis family brings Bailey to the family compound in hopes of protecting her. Bailey slowly gets to know her half siblings (even if they don't necessarily know she is their sibling) and starts to wonder what her role will be in this new family. Further, Bailey can't help wonder who Kash really is and what his story is as she and him can't deny their mutual attraction. Great new characters to get to know and a solid romance make this a great read!

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE INSIDERS (Book 1 of 3), by Tijan, in exchange for an honest review. Bailey finds out she’s the daughter of her idol, tech billionaire Peter Francis, in the worst way possible. Men break into her home in the middle of the night to kidnap and possibly kill her. The men mention her father, but they don’t name him. Bailey is only saved by a nosy neighbor’s timely call to the police. When officers escort Bailey from the premises, they take her to her father’s business where she’s placed in the custody of Kashton Colello, who runs security for her father. Kash gives Bailey the choice of returning to her normal life where she and her mother will likely be murdered or go with him to her father’s compound and hide out until the kidnappers are caught. Bailey meets her three half-siblings but is forbidden from revealing her identity. If Bailey meets her father, she is to call him Mr. Francis. Kash takes Bailey from her mother and extended family, demands she not contact them, dumps her at his house in the compound, and leaves. Obviously unwelcome, Bailey must navigate through unfriendly and unfamiliar territory alone or be left defenseless and in dire peril. The only way Bailey can go free is if her kidnappers are caught. To complicate matters, Bailey finds herself drawn to Kash who has mastered mixed signals.

I liked this book and look forward to reading the next in the series. I recommend this book to fans of suspenseful romance featuring peril, kidnapping, computers, dissolute youth, wealth, culture clash, and estranged family.

This is my first book by this author and will not be my last. The main character, Bailey, is very likeable and I liked her narrative. I do think that the story moved a bit slowly, a bit repetitive in spots, and could have been wrapped up sooner, Still, I think there is a follow-up story here, and I would read it.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

I've read a few of Tijan's previous books and have always enjoyed them so I was really excited when I was approved for this ARC. Unfortunately, I didn't find the same satisfaction with this book as I had with her other works.

Bailey is a genius who lives with her single mother and just graduated college and will be off to graduate school in a few months. She suffers a kidnapping attempt and is all of a sudden whisked off to her father's estate who she previously thought had passed away. Bailey tries to navigate a new family, being under constant security, missing her mother, and uncovering deep family secrets as well as falling for her bodyguard.

Kash, Bailey's bodyguard and love interest, is the gruff type and in the beginning is very no nonsense with Bailey. We later learn he has deep secrets of his own about his past and his family. His and Bailey's chemistry was off the charts and I loved how deeply he cared for her. He was a bit unavailable emotionally until he laid it all out for Bailey. And I didn't like how he would come back into town at night, have sex with her and then leave the next morning and this would go on for weeks when he kept telling her he would tell her everything but always put it off....it just felt dirty.

I did like the premise of the book and I thought it was an exciting and fast paced read...I really didn't want to put it down. But also, multiple times the writing felt confusing and disconnected. I often had to go back and reread a few paragraphs because I couldn't follow what had happened. I also felt the villain of this book was easy to pick out and pretty predictable.

Also, the cover for this book is confusing. Obviously the woman with dark hair in front is Bailey but I don't know who the other two characters were. If the male was supposed to be Kash he is portrayed way younger than what was told in the book. And I have no idea if the blonde woman is supposed to be Quinn or Bailey's mom? If so, a very young portrayal again.

To be honest I guess I just expected more from the author but because of the intriguing nature of the story I will read the next book in the series. I just hope the writing will be more cohesive.

7.64/10

The Insiders by Tijan is a new adult romance novel that follows our main protagonist named Bailey Hayes. Bailey is a genius with a photographic memory, but her life has been pretty normal until the night that she was almost kidnapped by The Arcane group. After that, she discovers that her father is a billionaire named Peter Francis--the tech whiz that she has admired for her whole life. She learns that she is being targeted in order to get to Peter Francis, and she can either go into the witness protection agency, or she can be protected in Peter Francis's estate. Bailey has to learn to adapt to this new lifestyle of secrecy, her three new siblings that don't even know her true identity, and her personal security guard who makes her heart race every time she sees him. Meanwhile, The Arcane haven't stopped trying to find a way to get to Bailey, and they might even be closer than she could ever imagine.

Now, I wasn’t positive if I was going to like this book, but I was going to power through no matter what because this is the first book I’ve ever read on Netgalley. I really want my feedback ratio to be one hundred percent. At first, I thought it was going to be a LONG journey, but towards the end of the novel, I found myself sad that I will have to wait to read the next book in the series.

The characters bothered me SO MUCH in the beginning. Let me tell y’all, because of this book I finally understand what people mean when they say that books are trying TOO hard to be angsty. I was really unsure of how I felt about our main couple, Kash and Bailey. I didn’t really feel a lot of chemistry between the two in their first couple encounters. The book really wanted me to think there was chemistry though because Bailey would talk about how hot he is in every single chapter–even in the serious moments when there was danger right around the corner. Ultimately, I do think Kash and Bailey are a cute couple though. I wish that there were more moments that showed why they actually love each other and not just lust at first sight taking center stage the whole time.

In the story, there were some moments when more depth and details would’ve been appreciated. I found that the novel would something lack in descriptions of characters. I also want to know more about Kash’s history with Victoria. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about these characters in the next books since The Insiders is the first book of a trilogy. Then there are characters, like Torie, who seemed to kind of pop-up out of nowhere. All of a sudden, Bailey and Torie are best friends even though we barely know anything about her. Also, Bailey seemed WAY too normal after she woke up after being drugged and beat up. She had bruises everywhere and had a bad reaction to the drug, yet she could get up and out of bed right away.

I feel like I’ve been nagging this book the whole time; however, I actually found it to be pretty enjoyable. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart when it comes to…intimate scenes–I meant it when I said that Kash and Bailey’s relationship is fueled by lust. Kash is one of those protective boyfriends, and I love it so much. She needs someone like him, especially when Matt is always getting her in trouble. I think Seraphina and Cyclone are adorable, and I like the whole family dynamic. I think Peter’s speech towards the end was also a nice scene. It showed that Peter does care and wants Bailey in his family, but it also shows how he’ll always be Peter Francis, someone who can’t look bad to the public eye. The ending was definitely a cliffhanger, and I’m both nervous and excited to see where this series will go.

3.75/4 STARS

I LOVE Tijan’s writing, and the plot was really intriguing.

I truly enjoyed the story, Bailey’s character, her connection with Kash, the way she struggled in the middle of her “new” family, so why… WHY couldn’t this book be a standalone????

This kind of ruined the whole experience to me because it felt a little too long until things got interesting, and then it was over… Even the “bonus” didn’t make it feel better…

I really hope the wait won’t be too long, because I got attached to Kash and Bailey, and we’re left with so many questions…

So, yes, since I always make a point to write a fair review, this is what you should take into consideration:

If you are a fan of Tijan’s stories AND if you can handle the wait between books, THIS BOOK IS TOTALLY FOR YOU

In my case, I guess I should have waited until the last book to read the whole trilogy. I’m greedy and impatient like that!

That’s the main reason I “only” rate it with 3.75/4 stars.
The frustration I felt was too big.

Gah! I hate to wait!!!!

Did I say I hate to wait?

There! I said it: I HATE TO WAIT!!!!

The Insiders, by Tijan, was a book I was looking forward to reading. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t figure out what was going on. I felt like the story line was all over the place and I kept waiting for something to happen and bring it all together. It just didn’t seem cohesive at all to me and I found that I wasn’t interested. I’m sure it will appeal to some but this one wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Rating this less than 5 stars really hurt. I was so excited to see that Tijan was being traditionally published, however the actual story itself didn’t wow me. I never really saw a point to this story. With that, it also ends on a cliffhanger to let me know that there will be more of this story that the author could’ve wrapped up in this one. When I first heard about this book, I didn’t know it was going to be a trilogy.

I do have to say that Tijan always knows how to bait me. She sprinkles some secrets and a love interest that I want to know more about and she has me hook, line, and sinker. I like her ability to weave a story and make it to even if I’m not loving it I have to keep reading. That right there is why I’m giving it three stars.

This had your typical Tijan characters that I would have normally loved. It was just missing that flair to get me really hooked.

Will I read the next one? Most likely for anything just so I can see how this ends.

*I will post to the blog closer to the release date.